This apparatus and method relates in general to the commercial cultivation of frogs in a controlled environment. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for feeding frogs in a man-made climate-controlled environment.
The cultivation of frogs in a controlled environment has inherent difficulties that have in large part been overcome by the invention that is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,873,327 (the xe2x80x9c""327 patentxe2x80x9d). However, one of the continuing problems existing in such a climate controlled environment is the frogs"" reluctance to eat artificial food.
Apparently, frogs over the years have consistently refused to eat artificial foods and prefer live food such as insects, minnows or the like. Feeding live bait to frogs in larger farming facilities is simply impractical. In the past, artificial feed has been deposited in the container habitat for frogs. When the feed is dropped on the floor of a container, frogs simply are not interested in eating the seemingly lifeless food particles. In addition to the inherent problem of the frogs not eating the food, the uneaten feed soils the container floor.
Habitat containers maintain a small pool of standing water for the frogs, which track in and out of the water. The wet frogs may stand on feed particles breaking, wetting, and dispersing the feed throughout the container. The containers have to be cleaned periodically which is a labor intensive job including removing the frogs from the container, cleaning the frogs and returning the frogs to the container. Excessive human contact stresses frogs, disrupting feeding patterns and reproductive cycles. In addition, frogs are susceptible to injury during such a removal process.
Inventions have been created in an attempt to more effectively feed frog""s artificial food by simulating life-like movement of live food. Two such inventions are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,347,808, (the xe2x80x9c808 patentxe2x80x9d) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,947. Such a feeder device is also discussed in the ""327 patent. In both the ""808 patent and the ""327 patent artificial food particles are dropped from a feeder or hopper suspended above the container floor. Unless the frogs actually see the artificial feed dropped into the container, the frogs will ignore the feed in the container, and the same problems occur as previously described. Moreover, uneaten and destroyed artificial feed translates into a loss for the cultivator.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for feeding frogs cultivated in a man-controlled environment, artificial food. Another object of the invention is to present the feed to the frogs in such a way to simulate live food, and allow the frogs to capture selected artificial food particles.
These and other objectives are accomplished by the apparatus and method for feeding frogs cultivated in captivity herein disclosed. The apparatus includes a plurality of containers, within which frogs are cultivated, supported in vertically spaced tiers on an upright rack. A plurality of feed trays are provided wherein a feed tray is provided for each container. Artificial feed, in the form of a plurality of pellets, or discrete feed particles, are supplied in the feed tray.
Discrete particles of feed, or single pellets, are selected simultaneously from the feed trays, and transferred to the interior of each container, and suspended therein for frogs to capture and eat. The frogs are capable of viewing the transfer of the feed pellets from the feed tray to the container and the pellet within the container, so the movement of the feed simulates live food.
An air suction system is utilized for engagement of the discrete particles. Air is drawn through a feed engagement member so a suction force is created at the tip of the feed engagement member to engage pellets. The feed engagement member is actuated toward the feed tray to engage the pellets. Then the feed engagement member is activated to the interior of the container where the frogs take the pellets off of the feed engagement member.
The air flow direction can, in the air suction system, also be reversed so air is blown out through the feed engagement member in order to clean the same and any conduits or lines leading to the feed engagement member.